The character of Victoria Beckham has always been an enigma.

From getting her start as Posh Spice in the 90s girl band The Spice Girls and marrying British soccer royalty David Beckham, to completely rebranding herself as the oversized sunglasses-wearing and pouting figure of the couture fashion world, the fashion designer, entrepreneur and mum-of-four has never really let her polished act slip.

But now, in a candid new interview in GLAMOUR UK’s AW19 issue to launch her new Victoria Beckham Beauty line, the megastar said she’s leaving her tightly controlled image behind.

“I want to be honest. In the past, I’ve probably hidden behind my armour – the not smiling publicly, for instance. There’s less of that now,’ the 45-year-old said.

The interview, while light and fluffy in some parts, offers brief but never before heard glimpses inside the life of being a Beckham.

From being bullied at school to her relationship with her body, here’s eight things we never knew about Victoria Beckham.

Side note – Mamamia’s The Spill podcast delved deep on Victoria Beckham’s interview below. Post continues after audio.

1. Her experience with bullying.

“I was never the popular girl at school and I never found anything easy and I was told ‘No’ constantly. I was bullied a lot at school, mentally and physically,” Beckham said.

“It made me insecure, but it also made me realise if I want something, I’m going to have to work hard at it. Nothing ever came naturally and that’s OK.”

When asked if she still feels out of the place, she said, “Not so much anymore… But I was, and I’ll never forget that, and I can really use that now. The fact that I can talk to [daughter] Harper about that and how girls should be kind to girls… really I use my own experiences and share that.”

2. Her approach to ageing.

Beckham spoke about how working on her beauty brand helped her look at ageing differently. In her GLAMOUR cover shoot, she made a point not to use photoshop to distort how she looks.

“There’s something really liberating about embracing who I am at 45 years old and owning it, feeling confident, feeling content. Doing beauty has really helped with that – it’s been very liberating. I want to spread the word that everybody should feel like the best version of themselves. To look after what you have. I want to tell people to own who you are. Yes, we – and I – have wrinkles, and that’s OK!”

“Yeah, I accept who I am. I make the best of who I am!”

 

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A post shared by British GLAMOUR (@glamouruk) on Sep 16, 2019 at 9:18am PDT

 

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A post shared by British GLAMOUR (@glamouruk) on Sep 16, 2019 at 9:18am PDT

3. Her relationship with her body.

Whether rightly so, the world has always been fascinated by Victoria Beckham’s body. Her waif-like frame is a constant part of her image, but she’s rarely spoken before about her personal relationship with her body.

On how she sees her body, Beckham said: “[It’s] an instrument, 100 per cent. I expect a lot from my body. I work a lot, I try to be the best professional, the best mother, the best wife and so I have to treat it in the right way – and make sure it has the fuel it needs to work long hours and be a mum, and have the energy to do it all.”

4. Her health routine.

Beckham has previously spoken about her strict diet and exercise routine, but in this interview, she went deeper into the why behind it and if being a parent has changed anything.

“The older I get, the more I realise what works for me and what doesn’t. How working out and eating healthy is key. When you have four children you accept your body changes.”

“I work out every morning with Tracy Anderson trainers – I do a lot on the treadmill and I dance, too. When I’m in the gym, I decompress, that’s where I get my ideas, think and look after myself. When you have children, you don’t have the luxury of lying in, so that’s my time and I don’t have much time for socialising.

“And you know what I would tell my younger self? Not to be afraid of eating lots of healthy fats, as that was something I used to be scared to eat. Eating healthy fats doesn’t make you fat! It’s good for your skin, nails and hair, especially when you’re exercising, which I am, two hours a day in the gym. You just can’t build healthy muscle if you aren’t eating enough fat and you shouldn’t be scared of that.”

5. How her children are holding her accountable.

 

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A post shared by Victoria Beckham (@victoriabeckham) on Sep 15, 2019 at 6:19am PDT

 

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Happy Birthday Romeo x ???? ???? ???? I cant believe u are 17 today!!! We are so proud of u and love u so so much xxxx ✨✨✨✨✨

A post shared by Victoria Beckham (@victoriabeckham) on Sep 1, 2019 at 12:27am PDT

The fashion designer and beauty entrepreneur also talked about how her kids have helped change her perspective on things like body image, sustainability and the environment.

“When you have children, it also puts a lot into perspective. You realise they notice everything. I would never sit down with my kids and skip a meal – they need to see that their mum eats healthily – you need to show little people how to be healthy and happy with who they are.”

“I look at the kids and schools are doing a really good job at educating children on sustainability. Me and Romeo had a whole conversation about sustainability the other day because he got these Adidas trainers that have been made out of plastic from the ocean. Harper talks about it, too. Our generation has to catch up because it is quite new to so many people.

“It’s important we make that change. I like to think we’re a kind brand and we – as a company – need to communicate that more.”

6. Her teenage struggle with acne.

When she was growing up, Beckham experienced severe acne, which she said affected her confidence.

“It does make you so self-conscious. When I was teenager, I wasted so much time worrying and feeling self-conscious, but it’s natural to be that way when you do have skin problems. Now I just embrace it.”

“As I got older, I realised it’s not just what you put on your skin, it’s about what you put into your body, being as healthy as you can and not getting too het up about it.”

7. The Beckham’s share a skincare routine.

“Myself and David share skincare. The Beckhams do sometimes lie in bed both wearing Sarah Chapman face masks. When we have the time, we like to do those things.”

Another of Beckham’s skincare tips? Coconut oil.

“I often take coconut oil from the kitchen and use it as a body moisturiser – everywhere! I cover myself in coconut oil, which I also use for cooking.”

 

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family birthday dinner @davidbeckham xxx kisses x ????????????????????????

A post shared by Victoria Beckham (@victoriabeckham) on May 2, 2019 at 2:19pm PDT

8. Her mental health.

Mental health has never been an ‘on brand’ topic for Beckham, but she did briefly speak about how she has grappled with self doubt in her down times.

“I’ve always been very tough on myself. We all have good days and bad days. Even when I have a bad day, I think I’m really lucky. I have an amazing husband, a great family, incredible people I work with and I’ve always had to work hard. I feel blessed and I want to maintain what I’ve achieved.”

“I’ve always questioned my decisions, but I’ve realised your gut is there for a reason and you should listen to it. That’s why I’m sitting here now.”

You can read Josh Newis-Smith’s full interview with Victoria Beckham for GLAMOUR UK here.